Forest vs Man City player ratings: Delap stars in 3-1 win

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Liam Delap leads our Forest vs Man City player ratings after scoring twice in a 3-1 victory at the City Ground.

Jair Cunha put Forest ahead before Delap doubled their advantage. Rayan Cherki brought City back into the contest after half-time, but Delap’s second settled it.

The striker takes Dave.Sport’s player-of-the-match award, while Cunha and Xaver Schlager also score highly. For City, Cherki’s goal provides the strongest individual contribution on another disappointing evening.

Ratings are Dave.Sport’s editorial assessments, informed by published match coverage and recorded events. Players with limited time on the pitch are marked N/R.

Forest player ratings vs Man City

Matz Sels – 7: Conceding only once against a side with so much possession gives Forest’s goalkeeper and defence credit. Cherki’s strike prevented a clean sheet.

Jair Cunha – 8: His intervention changed the game almost immediately. Won possession from Gvardiol and turned defence into attack to score the opener. A substantial contribution from a centre-back.

Nikola Milenković – 7: An early block denied Doku. Part of a back three that helped Forest survive City’s territorial advantage without surrendering the lead.

Murillo – 7: Deserves credit alongside his defensive partners for the collective result. Forest’s willingness to defend without the ball was fundamental to the victory.

Daniel Muñoz – 7: Offered an early route forward, setting up McAtee for a shot at Donnarumma. Replaced by Netz midway through the second half.

Ryan Yates – 7: Started in the middle of a Forest side whose defensive work mattered as much as their finishing. Replaced by Sangaré with the two-goal advantage restored.

Xaver Schlager – 8: Made a decisive contribution to the second goal, winning possession before supplying Delap. That intervention helped Forest punish City’s loose play.

Neco Williams – 7: A full shift on the left as Forest spent long periods without possession. Shares the credit for a defensive performance that gave the goalscorers something to protect.

James McAtee – 6: Had an early shot saved by Donnarumma but did not match the decisive contributions of Forest’s other attacking players. Booked before his substitution.

Morgan Gibbs-White – 8: Provided the assist for Delap’s second. His contribution to the third goal was particularly valuable with City still threatening a comeback.

Liam Delap – 9: Two goals against his former club and the decisive performance of the evening. His first gave Forest breathing space; his second ended City’s hopes of turning possession into a recovery. Our player of the match.

Forest substitutes

Luca Netz – 6: Replaced Muñoz after 65 minutes and helped Forest see out the game.

Dan Ndoye – 6: Introduced alongside Netz for McAtee. Picked up a booking during his appearance.

Ibrahim Sangaré – N/R: Replaced Yates in the closing stages.

Igor Jesus – N/R: A late replacement for two-goal Delap.

Man City player ratings vs Forest

Gianluigi Donnarumma – 5: Saved McAtee’s early effort but conceded three. The scoreline reflects the failures in front of him as well as the difficulty of the finishes he faced.

Abdukodir Khusanov – 5: Began in a defence that conceded twice inside 18 minutes. City’s half-time reshuffle did not prevent Delap from scoring again.

Rúben Dias – 4: A difficult evening for the captain at the heart of a defence repeatedly punished when Forest attacked. City had control of the ball without establishing control of the match.

Marc Guéhi – 5: Withdrawn at half-time with City two goals down. Paid the price as Maresca changed the defensive personnel.

Joško Gvardiol – 4: Lost possession to Cunha for the opening goal. Substituted at the interval after an opening half that left City chasing the game.

Elliot Anderson – 6: Better than several team-mates, although involved in the confusion before Forest’s second.

Enzo Fernández – 4: Too vulnerable to pressure and turnovers. Replaced by Foden.

Iliman Ndiaye – 5: The early mix-up with Anderson proved expensive. No decisive attacking response.

Rayan Cherki – 7: His goal gave City a chance. The clearest positive in their attack.

Jérémy Doku – 6: More threatening after half-time, but without the final contribution City needed.

Erling Haaland – 5: Missed an opportunity to equalise at 2-1. An expensive moment.

Man City substitutes

Matheus Nunes – 6: Added attacking width after replacing Guéhi at half-time.

Nico O’Reilly – 6: Helped improve City’s left side after replacing Gvardiol.

Phil Foden – N/R: Replaced Fernández late on.

Player of the match: Liam Delap

Delap’s two goals carry the greatest weight in our assessment. Forest needed someone to make their opportunities count against opponents who dominated possession, and their centre-forward delivered twice.

See the confirmed Forest and Man City line-ups, follow further Premier League coverage, or revisit the events through Manchester City’s match centre.

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